Alexander Steffen Livres

In "Vanishing Berlin," photographer Alexander Steffen captures the rapid changes in the urban landscape, documenting endangered places like vacant lots and local shops. His work highlights the impacts of gentrification, raising questions about city ownership and the need for community-focused development amidst the loss of Berlin's unique culture.

City centres being sold out, underground scenes and neighbourhood identities being displaced, the associated underlying feelings of loss; all these are worldwide phenomena. Today the faces of many cities are characterised by soulless architecture, conformity and surging rents. Vanishing Berlin captures the places that we will remember wistfully, though we did not think we would ever miss them. Since 2009 Alexander Steffen takes photographs of transient landmarks all over the city, documenting the process of change within the urban environment. Vanishing Berlin captures the places that we will remember wistfully, though we did not think we would ever miss them. Focusing mainly on wastelands, storefronts and brick walls. These places characterise Berlin, but equally they are vanishing at an unprecedented pace.